Eat, Drink, Animate! By Tom Sito

Who knew animators could cook? Tom Sito, USC animation professor, co-director of Osmosis Jones and Emeritus President of the Animation Guild, has written a cookbook celebrating the recipes of animation artists.

You might think animators can't cook, but you'd be wrong. "Eat Drink Animate" is where you can learn the secrets of Walt Disney's chilli and and Tissa David's Hungarian Goulash.

I should declare an interest here - the book includes one of favourite recipes, Poisson a la BAFTA, which was reverse-engineered a few years ago from a dish I liked so much while dining at BAFTA Piccadilly that I decided to try and make it myself. I wrote it in French to make it sound posh.

Tom is a prodigious author, with many books on animation and animation history to his name.

Ross Anderson Pulls a Rabbit from a Hat

We first interviewed author Ross Anderson back in 2013, about his research project into the history of the making of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - the pioneering film that is 26 years old this year.

Six years later, Ross's book "Pulling a Rabbit from a Hat" has finally hit the bookshelves; he was signing copies at this year's Annecy film festival.

Ross's book aims to be the definitive history of the making of the film. It is well researched and very detailed, and appears to very accurate down to the smallest details,

I've been looking forward to buying my copy for years. Among the highlights are Tom Sito's hilarious sketches and scribbles that documented the roller coaster ride that was the making of the film.

Animator's Survival Kit Now Released for iBooks

Animator's Survival Kit - now on iBooks

Faber and Faber has just announced the launch of the Animator's Survival Kit for iBooks.  The new edition brings together the complete 'Expanded Edition' of The Animator's Survival Kit with over 100 animated examples from The Animator's Survival Kit Animated DVD box set. It will be available globally, priced at £19.99/$28.99.  What does this mean for students of animation? It means you can now use the ASK on your Mac laptop - you don't need an iPad.

From Rabbits to Robots - Matt Novak Introduces his latest book

I first met Matt Novak working at the Disney Florida animation studio, known back in the late 1980s as the Disney MGM Studios. We were both working on Rollercoaster Rabbit, and we were part of the Magic of Disney Animation ride, called by everyone who worked in it (safely out of earshot of anyone important) as The Goldfish Bowl, a walk-through animation installation where the public could witness actual animated films being made.

For me, just 19 years old and still studying at University, it was a paradise, an absurdly lucky break into one of the top studios in the animation business. I was there in the summer of 1989, and Matt had already started a career as an illustrator, having published his first book Rolling back in 1986.

We got on famously, joining in obligatory trips to the local karaoke lounge, and even making it down to the Florida Keys, before my golden summer at Disney finally ended and I returned to England to continue my studies. Matt stayed on, but eventually left Disney to become a full-time writer and illustrator. Now, with around 20 books to his name, Matt has just published his latest book: Little Robot.

A Lazy Elf for Christmas

Thomas Bo Huusmann is a graduate of the excellent Animation Workshop in Denmark, surely one of the very best places to study animation in Europe. The school encourages its students not just to find work as employees in animation companies, but to be entrepreneurs, starting up small businesses and media enterprises. Since graduating in 2011, Thomas has founded his own independent company Huusmann Media. He has just published a new eBook - Lazy Elf - just in time to solve FLIP readers' last minute Christmas gift crises. Phew!

Support Fellow Artists - Give their Work as Gifts

It's that time again, when media whips people into a shopping frenzy, then sits back and laughs as gift buying turns into a bloodsport.  Ha ha, suckers!  Once again, FLIP offers our readers a creative alternative.  Over the course of the past year, there have been many artists featured whose work is available for sale.  We present those items here for your convenient shopping.

Support animation artists, and get something unique for your loved ones!

First up, Richard Williams' classic book The Animator's Survival Kit is now available for the iPad.  FLIP wrote about it back in February.  Get yours here!

Remembering Roy Disney - Dave Bossert talks about his just-published biography

Dave Bossert, Producer, Creative Director and Head of Special Projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios, has just published a new book on Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt and for decades a champion of animation at the Disney Studio. Roy is widely regarded as the man who saved the animation division at Disney from closure, following the box office disaster of Black Cauldron and the Eisner/Katzenberg takeover in the 1980s. We asked Dave to tell us about his new book.

A Tom Sito sighting in NYC - Monday, September 16 at 7:00pm

Tom Sito's latest book

On Monday, September 16 at 7:00pm Tom Sito, author of Moving Innovation: The History of Computer Animation (and friend of FLIP), will be at the SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, NYC.

Tom will be "telling stories, spinning yarns about CGI and signing a book or two". He also adds that "some NY CG legends have promised to come too" - although their identities remain undisclosed. The evening is free and open to anyone to attend.

Modern Design God Alvin Lustig

I was in an actual book store recently - not the kind where you buy coffee and scones and board games - the kind where there are books on shelves to hold in your hand and purchase if you like. One caught my eye called Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig by Steven Heller and Elaine Lustig Cohen, Lustig's widow.   I had not heard of Alvin Lustig - that's on me - but the design work was so interesting my curiosity piqued and out came the credit card.  

By my estimation, Alvin Lustig is the Fred Moore of modern design.  He set the style and, like Fred Moore, died young.  His bread and butter was book jacket design, but he also designed ads, business lobbies, and corporate logos including the one for  - here comes the animation connection - UPA!

Uli Meyer introduces his new book - "Cuthbert was bored"

Cuthbert was bored - written and illustrated by Uli Meyer

Uli Meyer is an animator, director, designer and now children's book author. He has worked on countless animated film projects including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, An American Tail and Space Jam. His studio Uli Meyer Animation was for many years one of London's leading independent animation studios. Recently Uli has been focusing his efforts on writing and illustrating children's books. His new book, Cuthbert was bored,  has just been published.

The Art of Caricature - DreamWorks animator Jim Van Der Keyl reveals his secrets

Jim Van Der Keyl is a caricaturist and animator who has worked on many of the biggest animated hits from DreamWorks in recent years, including Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda2, Flushed Away, and Over the Hedge. In 1999 he was nominated for an Annie award for his animation on Brad Bird's masterpiece  The Iron Giant. He also writes books and DVDs on the art of caricature - truly a renaissance animator. FLIP asked him to reveal the secrets of the craft - how does an animator become a great caricaturist?

Matt Novak - the Disney animator who became a children's book author

Back in 1989 I spent a summer working at the newly built Disney MGM studios theme park in Orlando, Florida, which among other rides featured a tour of the "Magic of Disney Animation". The ride was real, in as much as the studio being toured actually made real films, such as Tummy Trouble, RollerCoaster Rabbit, and later Mulan. We called it the "goldfish bowl", since the visitors would watch us through the glass partition as we worked.

One of the very talented artists I met there was Matt Novak, who worked on many films including "Rescuers Down Under" and "Beauty and the Beast". Since leaving The Mouse he has built a successful career writing and illustrating children's books, winning awards and publishing dozens of titles. FLIP asked him a few questions about what it takes to make it in the competitive world of publishing.

Tom Sito's Book on the History of Computer Animation on Sale!

Back in March, FLIP posted an interview with Tom Sito about his forthcoming Moving Innovation: A History of Computer Animation.  By the looks of our stats, there's a ton of interest surrounding Sito's book.  Well now you can own your very own copy.  Click here to order.

This Wednesday, April 24, from 11:30-1:30 Tom will be signing copies in the USC Cinema School Courtyard. Books will be on hand for sale too.  So if you're in the Los Angeles area, head over on your lunch break.  Tell Tom FLIP sent you.

-Steve

Three Silly Chickens - Tanya Fenton's charming new children's book

Three Silly Chickens

Tanya Fenton is an animation artist who has worked on many animated feature films including The Thief and The Cobbler, Hercules and Fantasia 2000. She has recently turned author and illustrator. Her first book, Three Silly Chickens, is now in bookshops.

Introducing Silver - Stephan Franck's new Graphic Novel

Silver, a new Graphic Novel by Stephan Franck

Stephan Franck is a master storyteller who has worked as an animator, storyboard artist and designer on projects such as The Iron Giant, Space Jam and How To Train Your Dragon. FLIP asked him to talk about his new graphic novel, Silver, soon to be released.

Tom Sito's History of Computer Animation

Ivan Sutherland demonstrates Sketchpad, 1963.

Being of a generation for which computers represented the future, it is a bit unsettling that a book on the history of computer animation could be written. Like I need another reminder of my aging. Tom Sito has done it, with Moving Innovation, A History of Computer Animation, to be released next month. FLIP asked Tom a few questions, via computer......

FLIP: What the hell does Tom Sito know about Computer Animation?

TS: Hah! You’re right. My name is not the first to come to mind when you think CG. When I was completing Drawing the Line, I included a chapter on the Digital Revolution. I needed to explain about CG’s origins to show how it affected the animation community and how it changed the traditional animation production pipeline, which had been sacred since J.R. Bray in 1913. The chapter grew so large that my editor cut it by two-thirds, and told me “ You have another book here.”

A photo interview wuth Uli Meyer and his new children's book "Cuthbert was Bored"

Uli Meyer at work - photograph copyright Richard Keith Wolff

Photographer and friend of FLIP Richard Keith Wolff visited veteran London-based animator Uli Meyer at his Kentish town home, to talk animation and children's books. Uli discusses his much-anticipated new children's book - "Cuthbert was Bored", and the inspiration he drew from Ronald Searle, while Richard photographs the artist at work.

An Interview with animation producer Don Hahn

Don Hahn is an animated film Producer whose credits are almost a roll-call of the Second Golden Age of Animation. His films include Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Beauty and The Beast, and The Lion King. He is currently producing the much-anticipated Maleficent, due out in 2014.

He has also published many books on animation, the most recent being The Alchemy of Animation, and he also found time to direct Waking Sleeping Beauty, a documentary about Disney and the creative process. FLIP asked Don to reveal the secret of juggling so many interesting and varied projects.

The Animator's Survival Kit meets the iPad

I don't have an iPad, and I don't know what you call a book released for use on it. Is it an iBook? an eBook? An iBook App? An e-iBook? Whatever the name, the iPad seems the perfect platform for a digital version of The Animator's Survival Kit, now the standard industry textbook for aspiring animators.

Sydney Padua's awesome new book

Sydney Padua is an animator, writer and graphic novelist who is working on her first full-length graphic novel - The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace & Babbage. FLIP persuaded her to put down her pencil and answer a few questions about her new book.